Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-11-12
"AWake, my SOU, strttch eVtry nerve,
And press with yigor on"


Awake. my soul stretch every nerve,
And press with vigor on"
The Rev. T. Dc Witt Talmage, d. D. preach
ed on the esoiect: Defense Of Young Men,"
and took his text from II. Kings, chap. vi, V.
II: 'lud the Lord opened the eyes OF the
youuc man." He said:
Cne morning in Dothan young theological
studept was scared by finding himself and
Elishs the prophet, upon whom be waited,
surrounded by whole army of enemies But
venerable Elisha was not scared at all, because
be saw the mountains full Of defense for him.
In chariots made out Of fire, wheels Of fire,
dashboard Of fire, and cushion Of fire, drawn
by horses with nostrils of fire, and name Of
fire, and launches Of fire, and hoofs of fire
"A supernatural appearance that could
not be seen with the natural eye So the old
minister prayed that the young minister might
see them also, and the PRAYER was answered,
and the Lord opened the eyes of the young
man, and he also saw the fiery procession,
looking somewhat, suppose, like the Adiron-
dacks o. the Alleghanes in this Autumnal
respl, ,ndence.
,Isny young men, standing among the most
tremendous realities, have their eyes half shut
or entirely closed. May God grant that my
sermon may open wide your eyes to your safe
ty your opportunity and your destiny.
A mighty defense for young man is good
home. Some of my hearers look back with tell
der satisfaction to their early home. 1t NAV
have been rude and rustic, hidden among the
bills, and architect or uphOlsterer never plan
ned or adorned it. But all the fresco on
prtrcelv walls never looked so enticing TO YOU
~ those rough hewn rafters. You can think
Of no park or arbor OF trees planted on fashion,
able country seat so attractive as the plain
brook that ran In front of the old farm house
aud sang under the weeping willows No
barred gateway, adorned with statue of
tronze, and swung open by obseQuious porter
IN fall dress, has half the glory Of the swing
yatc. Many OF you have Il second dwelling
pisce, your adopted home, that also is sacred
forever. There you built the first family altar
There your children were born. All those
trees you planted. That room is solemn, be-
cause once In 1t, over the hot pillow, tapped
the wing Of death. Under that roof you
cspect when your work is done to lie down and
die. You try with many words TO tell the ex-
cellcncy OF the place, but you fail. There is
only one word In the language that can de-
scribe your meaning. 1t is home.
Now, / declare 1t, that young man Is COM
paratiyely safe who goes out into the world
with charm like this upon him. The memory
Of parental solicitude, watching, planning and
praying, will be to him shield and a shelter.
l never knew man faithful both to his early
and adopted home, who at the same time was
Given over to any gross form of dissipation or
wickedness. He who seeks his enjoyment
chiefly from outside association, rather than
from the more quiet and unpresuming pleas
ures OF which have spoken, may be suspect
I'd to be on the broad road TO ruin. Absalom
tespised his fathers house, and you know his
history OF sin aud his death of shame. IL
You seem unnecessarily isolated from your
kindred and former associates is there not
some room that you can call your owni IEto
1t gather books, and pictures, and a harp.
Have q portrait over the mantel Make un-
godly mirth stand back from the threshold.
Consecrate some spot with the knee Of prayer
by the memory of other days, fathers couu-
sci, and a mothers love, and a sisters con-
idence, call IL home.
Another defense for young man is in
dustrous habit. Many young men, in starting
upon lie in this age, expect to make their way
through the world by the use of their wits
rather than the toll Of their hands. A child
now goes TO the city and fails twice before he
% as old as bis father was when he first saw
The spires OF the great town. Sitting in some
offco, vented at a thousand dollars a wear, be
Is wa!tf6g for the bank 10 declare its dividend,
or goes into the market expecting before night
to be made rich by the rushing of the stocks.
But luck seemed so dull he resolved ON some
other tack. Perhaps he borrowed from his
employers money drawer, and forgets TO put
II back, or for merely the purpose of improv
ing his penmanship makes copy-plate OF n
merchants signature. Never mind, all Is
right 10 trade. In some dark night there may
come In his dreams vision of Blackweli's
Island, or OF Sing Sing, but 1t soon vanishes
IN ashort time be will be ready to retire from
the busy world, and amid his fiocks and herds
culture the domestic virtues. Then those
Young men who once were his schOolmates,
anu knew NO better than to engage IN honest
WORK, VIII come with their ox-teams to draw
MN logs, and with their hard hands help
neave up his castle. This is no fancy picture.
II Is every-day life | should not wonder
u there were some rotten beams in that
beautiful palace. should not wonder
u dire scknesses should smite through
the young man, or IL God should pour into
bis cup Of life draught that would thrill him
Win unbearable agony. should not wonder
u his children should become TO him living
curse, making his home pest and disgrace.
should not wonder IL he goes to a miserable
grave, aud beyond IL into the gDashing OF
'eeth. The way Of the ungodly shall perish.
My young friends there is no way to gem
me success, except thrcsSh toll either of tn,
head Or hand. At the bsttis Of Crecy in 1876
the Prince Of Wales, finding himself heavily
pressed BY the enemy, sent word to his father
Tor help Tho father, watching the battle
nom windmill, and seeing his son was not
wounded and could gain the day II he would.
ent word: mo. win not come. Let the
10y 10y ,S WIN ne spurA for, II God will, de.
Young man, fight Jour own battle all through,
suu you snail have the victory. Oh, 1t is
oatue worth hghtng. Two monarchs Of old
iougnt duel Charles v. and Francis, and
me stakes we're kingdoma Milan aud Bur.
S" ssaSsn .nS nSr Ss s6ns With sin snd'he 'fakets
Do not get the fatal idss that YOU are
genluA ana tnat therefore there IS no need OF
lose application Il % here where mutitudes
Isli. Inc great courss of this age is the re-
muses., men With enosmons seifconceit and
sgotism, and nothing elsa had rather b.
ns.,,, ~ 'nan an esgiei plsin, and ploddinG, and
escthinR but to pick out ths syes Of csrcasses,
s,ss9nnordi.s!y Mt eapeeity without use is extra
snap failure. ThefV q no one for that
siss sne begins NE resolved to live by his
vss 80 ~. ne psooabQity b he ha not any,. IL.
stss. 10. ssie foe AdaiA svsn his unfallen
God comm.rHsi .rSs inScsninS on eodo, nd therefore
kssnm kast He Wa . drs0 the garden aud
Ssep u and had hs md HE vi G obeved the
wo,'s injunction and been q work, thev
fresa W. hase been saunteri under the
srroSsS anu noneerng aftsr that fr ait which de.
tive for sm sTem a ana their posterit proof posi-
attend to sr 6usncss srs W. et Io ,nto noe
SsIeL Scr,n, 100 not know that Il e prodigal in
~ psurc wocld ever have been reclaimed had
s..1,ak oa klvsn up his Idle habits and gone 10
,s1,,, swsne Tor living. &c, to the ant.
rh,ch syc h ssa consider her ways and be wise,
her food =, no overpeer or guide provideth
neat nsa. 70 thS harvest The devI does not &,
@ ,.seh snacS the man Who Is iusy with the
- aug the book, and the tr ,wel, and the
~Ss anu yne. heprss. &c Is afraid of those
s = - ~ > ebat mn. whom tllis